Academic requirements
To qualify for admission to Iowa State University, you must have completed at least 24 semester credits of transferable coursework* from an accredited college or university and achieved a minimum transfer GPA of 2.25. Applicants who have earned an associate's degree may be admitted with a minimum transfer GPA of 2.00.
Please note that some academic programs may require a transfer GPA higher than these minimums. Additionally, higher academic standards may be required of students who are not residents of Iowa, including international students.
If you do not meet the minimum transfer GPA for specific programs or are under academic suspension from your last institution, your application will typically be denied. Applicants under disciplinary suspension will not be considered until we receive information regarding the suspension from the institution.
If you have completed fewer than 24 transferable semester credits (or 36 quarter credits)* prior to enrolling at Iowa State, you will need to:
- Submit an official high school transcript along with your ACT or SAT scores.
- Meet all first-year student admission requirements.
- Achieve the minimum transfer GPA outlined above.
*Note: Career technical, developmental/remedial, and military credits do not count toward the 24 transferable semester credits requirement.
English Proficiency Requirement
U.S. citizen and immigrant applicants who did not graduate from an accredited U.S. high school and whose primary language is not English must fulfill the university’s English proficiency requirement.
English Proficiency for Students from Puerto Rico
Students who graduate from high school in Puerto Rico are automatically regarded as meeting Iowa State's English proficiency requirement, regardless of whether they indicate that English is not their primary language.
